Chapter: The Name That Shouldn't Exist
(After Keifer carried Jay back to Section E)
Aries' POV
When Keifer carried her inside the building, my chest tightened.
Not because she was hurt.
But because I wasn't the one holding her.
The corridor of Section E went silent when we saw them. Keifer's arms were wrapped carefully around Jay, like she was something fragile. Something important.
And she wasn't even protesting properly.
"Put me down, idiot," she muttered, but her voice didn't have power.
I walked toward them slowly.
"What happened?" I asked, keeping my tone calm.
"Ankle," Keifer replied shortly. "Still weak."
Still weak.
That means it wasn't just today.
She didn't tell me.
He gently placed her on one of the chairs. Ci n, Kit, Rory, Mayo, Blaster, Denzel, Felix, Calix, Drew, Emman, Yuri, and Erdix surrounded her immediately.
Our only girl.
Our responsibility.
"Are you okay?" Denzel asked.
"It's nothing!" Jay snapped dramatically. "I just tripped because the universe hates me."
Keifer crouched in front of her again. "The universe doesn't hate you. You just don't watch where you're stepping."
She kicked him lightly. "Shut up."
I was about to say something when Ci n suddenly asked—
"That blue-eyed guy didn't come back, right?"
The room froze.
Jay blinked. "What blue-eyed guy?"
Keifer stiffened.
I felt my pulse drop.
She didn't notice.
She didn't understand.
But we did.
Blue eyes.
Black SUV.
East Wood Street.
There's only one person we know like that.
Percy.
And Percy is supposed to be dead.
Calix spoke carefully. "The one you told about East Wood Street."
Jay waved it off. "Oh him? Yeah, he just smiled at my genius directions."
My stomach twisted.
Smiled.
That calm smile.
I remember it too well.
Blaster looked at me quickly. I shook my head slightly.
Don't.
Don't tell her.
Not now.
Jay continued, "He asked my name though."
That made everyone tense.
"What did you say?" Keifer asked quietly.
She flipped her hair dramatically. "Jasper Jean Mariano, obviously."
Silence.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Because that's not fake.
That's her full name.
And Percy knows that name.
He shouldn't be alive to hear it again.
I stepped closer. "You told him your real name?"
She frowned. "Of course? Why are you all acting weird?"
Because, Jay…
Because that name was once said by someone who disappeared the night everything changed.
Drew tried to laugh it off. "Maybe he's just some random foreigner."
Yuri spoke softly for the first time. "Blue eyes aren't common here."
Exactly.
Jay looked around at all of us.
"Why are you guys reacting like I met a ghost?"
My heart skipped.
Ghost.
If only she knew.
Keifer stood up slowly. "Did he say his name?"
She shook her head. "No. He just smiled like some drama male lead and left when you honked."
That means he saw Keifer.
Good.
That means he knows we're still together.
Still protecting her.
Still watching.
Ci n leaned toward me and whispered, "You think it's him?"
I kept my eyes on Jay.
"If it was," I replied quietly, "he wouldn't approach her like that."
But Percy was always unpredictable.
Jay crossed her arms. "Okay, can someone explain why you're all behaving like detectives?"
I forced a small smile. "Nothing. We just don't like strangers talking to you."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh please. I handled it."
Yes.
That's what scares me.
You handled it alone.
Again.
She tried to stand, but her ankle wobbled.
I reached her instantly.
So did Keifer.
Our hands touched her at the same time.
The class erupted.
"OHHHH."
"SYNCED."
"ROM-COM SCENE."
Jay glared at us. "I can stand myself!"
"You can't," Keifer and I said together.
She blinked.
Then narrowed her eyes. "You two planned that?"
"No," we both said again.
The class laughed harder.
But inside, I couldn't laugh.
Because if Percy is alive…
And if he came back…
He didn't come back for directions.
He came back for her.
Jay's POV
They're hiding something.
I know it.
Section E is terrible at acting normal.
Especially Aries.
Especially Keifer.
After Keif carried me back (which I will never forgive him for because everyone saw), they started reacting strangely when I mentioned the blue-eyed guy.
Like I said something illegal.
Ci n asked too fast.
Aries went quiet too fast.
Yuri looked serious.
Blaster stopped joking.
That never happens.
"Okay," I said, pointing at them. "Meeting. Now. Why are you all weird?"
"Because you're dramatic," Mayo said quickly.
I threw a paper ball at him.
Aries stepped closer. "Jay, what exactly did he ask you?"
"East Wood Street."
"And?"
"And my name."
"And you said?"
I stared at him. "Jasper Jean Mariano. Why?"
The way his jaw tightened didn't go unnoticed.
Keifer looked at Aries.
Aries looked at the floor.
That's when I knew.
"You know him."
Silence.
I stood up properly despite the slight pain. "You know him."
"No," Aries replied immediately.
"Liar."
The class gasped.
He sighed. "Jay—"
"You all reacted like I said something dangerous. Blue eyes. SUV. East Wood Street. My name. What's wrong with that?"
No one answered.
That hurt more.
I looked at Keifer. "You too?"
His expression softened. "We just don't like strangers approaching you."
"That's not it."
Aries walked closer.
Too close.
His voice lowered. "Some names from the past shouldn't appear again."
My heart skipped.
"What does that mean?"
He looked at me like he was debating whether to break something fragile.
Then he smiled lightly.
"It means you think too much."
I pushed him.
"Don't horoscope me."
The class laughed nervously.
But I wasn't laughing.
"You thought he was someone," I said slowly.
Aries didn't answer.
That's answer enough.
"Was he dangerous?"
Keifer spoke this time. "If he was, he wouldn't leave."
That's not reassuring.
I crossed my arms. "You guys are protecting me from something, aren't you?"
Aries' eyes softened.
"Always."
My heart betrayed me again.
"Stop being cryptic!" I yelled.
Ci n quickly jumped in. "Maybe he just looked like someone we knew before."
Before?
Before what?
"Who?" I demanded.
No one answered.
Fine.
If they won't tell me, I'll find out myself.
But then Aries suddenly reached for my ankle again.
"Sit," he ordered softly.
"I'm not a dog."
"You're stubborn."
Keifer smirked. "That's worse."
Aries ignored him and crouched slightly. "Does it still hurt?"
"A little."
His expression changed immediately.
Concern.
Real concern.
"You shouldn't walk alone," he said quietly.
"There we go again," I sighed.
"Jay," he continued, voice serious now. "If someone unfamiliar approaches you again, call me."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"That's not a reason."
His eyes locked with mine.
"Because I don't like the feeling I had when you said blue eyes."
That confused me.
"What feeling?"
"Like something unfinished just walked back into our lives."
The room fell silent again.
I swallowed.
Unfinished?
Keifer crossed his arms. "Whoever he is, if he comes near you again, we'll handle it."
We.
They're united about this.
That's scary.
And comforting.
I tried to lighten the mood.
"So what? You thought he was a ghost?"
No one laughed.
Oh.
Oh.
"You thought he was dead," I whispered.
Aries' eyes flickered.
That's it.
That's the truth they won't say.
"Who?" I asked softly.
He stood up slowly.
"No one you need to worry about."
I hate that sentence.
I stepped closer to him despite my ankle.
"I'm not a child."
"I know."
"Then tell me."
He looked torn.
And for a second…
For just one second…
I saw fear in his eyes.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for me.
"You trust us?" he asked quietly.
I blinked.
"What kind of question is that?"
"Answer it."
I looked around.
At Ci n.
At Denzel.
At Rory.
At Keifer.
At all of Section E.
These idiots.
These chaotic boys.
"Yes," I said.
"Then trust that if something from the past comes back," Aries continued, "we'll stand in front of you."
My chest tightened.
I tried to joke.
"So dramatic."
But my voice came out softer than intended.
Keifer leaned toward me. "And next time, don't give your full name to mysterious male leads."
I smirked. "Jealous?"
He smiled slowly. "A little."
Aries shot him a look.
The tension shifted again.
Not scary now.
Just familiar.
"Relax," I said. "If he wanted to kidnap me, he would've followed."
Aries' voice dropped.
"If he's who we think he is, he doesn't need to follow."
That sent chills down my spine.
"Horoscope," I whispered, "you're scaring me."
His expression immediately softened.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear.
"I won't let anything happen to you."
My heart stopped for a second.
Why does he say things like that so seriously?
Keifer suddenly wrapped an arm around my shoulder casually.
"And neither will I."
The class screamed again.
"TRIANGLE."
"PROTECTIVE BOYS."
"SECTION E BODYGUARDS."
I pushed Keifer away, blushing. "Stop making everything dramatic!"
But inside…
I felt safe.
Even if they're hiding something.
Even if blue eyes from the past are walking around.
Even if there's a name they won't say.
I don't know who Percy is.
I don't know why they thought he was dead.
But I know this—
Whatever that situation is…
It's bigger than me.
And they're standing in front of it.
For me.